Modular

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the first American construction permit for GE Vernova's BWRX-300 small modular reactor, to be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority at its Clinch River site. It marks a regulatory milestone for next-generation nuclear power, with supporters framing it as a step toward scaling carbon-free baseload energy in the United States.

The United States' first small modular reactor has received permission to begin construction, marking a milestone for next-generation nuclear power. Small modular reactors are smaller, factory-built nuclear units pitched as faster and cheaper to deploy than traditional plants. The groundbreaking approval signals momentum for the nuclear industry and could pave the way for wider adoption of the technology across the country.

Huawei has introduced the Mate 90 Pro Max in China, and the headline feature is not the cameras built into the phone. Instead, the device lets users attach an entire external camera, a modular approach that stands out in a market where flagship phones usually compete on embedded camera hardware.

Researchers have developed a modular DNA toolkit for engineering marine microalgae, enabling the organisms to produce carotenoids at industrially useful levels. The genetic toolbox is designed to make algae engineering more accessible and standardized, and could open the door to cheaper production of pigments used in food, feed, cosmetics and health supplements.